Play Detective

ax²+bx²= c²

His new math class was great.

After studying a packet explaining the concepts of algebra, geometry, and trigonometry on his own for about a month, he was able to join a class on elementary math function, which led into calculus, and shortened as EMF. A ten year old L gathers his things to leave the classroom after the bell. The rest of his classmates in that were of varied ages 14-18, all of them surpised, but not shocked, that some kid would be able to join them. The school was full of geniuses like that.

Freaks.

Geoff Mallory felt a twinge of jealousy. In his final year, he knew he wasn't skilled in mathematics beyond algebra, but nevertheless did not appreciate a little freakazoid kid wiping the floor with him. Truthfully, he never said anything to anyone, only answering Mrs. Nguyen's questions when she asked with a solid front of competence framed by his ill-kept hair.

Geoff was a "Big Brother" on his hall, and he never really caused trouble more than the average kid, but was always a little guy of few words. Extremely few, whenever possible. Really boring, nothing much to like or to mess around with.

He was still inherently jealous.

Even though his aspirations to become a biochemist were coming along quite well, every human has the time and the effort for jealousy. He didn't bother really brewing it over, but was nevertheless hostile regarding the feelings.

That night, L went to sleep in his light green flannel pajamas- but found only the top. The bottoms must have been somewhere... but he put on a raggedy pair of gray sweatpants instead and climbed into the sheets.

He woke up suspiciously warm, and slipped his hand towards his pants to find that yes, the undesirable outcome had occurred. Laying back, he sniffled and thoughts raced through his mind regarding what to do.

Really, this could have gone one of two ways. Smoothly, or the path it was destined to take every single time.

Climbing out and shuddering at how his sweatpants clung in all the wrong places, he made his way to the door in the middle of the hall, a yellow sign on the door. Without looking to read it, he knocked.

A haphazard "Coming!" stumbled through the air as the older boy inside did, then swinging open the door.

Geoff looked down to see him standing with his gray pants obviously soaked in the crotch, and the eyes looking up at him having no idea how much he loathed this task. The headache springing from leaping out of bed and finding a shirt left him not quite in the mood to be patient, the subject requiring his help making him question whether or not he would mind the damage to he reputation if he refused.

Of course he agreed.

"Wet your bed?"

The child in front of him crinkled his nose slightly, but nodded, now avoiding direct eye contact.

"Alright. Let's get this taken a care of."

They walked promptly to his dorm room, and Geoff threw on the overhead light switch with no regard for his roomate. There was none- his roomate was accepted on a full ride scholarship to boarding school and returned to the orphanage for holidays only. Geoff stripped the bed and expertly packed the sheets into a pillowcase before attempting to take L by the elbow. The smaller boy leaned away, offering his hand as a substitute.

Geoff let out a scoff and led him out to the hall with nothing but his pace to lead and reveal how irritated he was becoming. All patience was dissolving- if the kid was so smart, why couldn't he just do this himself?

"Alright, kid. Here's how you do this. Turn the dial up to here, hot. Cool if it's red. Turn the load up to medium- this is a big machine. The stepstool is right there. Dump the sheets in, close the lid and press the dial in. Like so-"